Appleton Ready for Orient

10 March 2016

Oxford United get set for two massive home games

Oxford United go in to back to back home games as they welcome first Leyton Orient to the Kassam Stadium on Saturday and then Dagenham and Redbridge on Tuesday. Having overtaken Plymouth to claim second spot in their last home game the U’s now take on Kevin Nolan’s O’s side and Head Coach Michael Appleton is well aware of the scale of the task facing his men.

“If you look at it on paper it is arguably the best squad in the division” he told Yellow Player HD. “Obviously it has been a difficult season and they have had a change of management but Kevin has gone in and done ever so well so far. It is going to be a difficult game against a side who genuinely think they can go up through the play-offs. But we are playing well at the moment and I'm sure it will be a really good game of football.”

United were 2-0 up in the first meeting of the sides this season, but had to settle for a point after a 2-2 draw.

“Going down to ten men didn’t help on the day” Michael said, referring to Jordan Graham’s red card “but I thought we defended ever so well for a 20 minute period after that when they were just putting everything into the box. Unfortunately we weren’t able to hold on to it.”

The U’s now have six home games left as they enter the finishing straight, and Michael admits that home form is going to be crucial.

“It definitely will” he said. “I think we had a little bit of a blip in our home form but hopefully we addressed that with a 4-0 victory over York. Now we have two games back to back in three days. If we can pick up six points from them that will give everyone a massive fillip as we go into the last ten games.”

See the whole interview plus Michael’s update on Ryan Taylor’s injury progress, in Yellow Player HD.

These are massive games for Oxford United. Make sure you are here on Saturday to get behind the team as we take on Orient. Visit www.oufctickets.co.uk to book your place or call 01865 337533